Summer Corn Soup with Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadilla

Day 2 of Vegetarian Week brings another delicious meat-free (and easily vegan-ized) recipe! Nothing says summer  like the sunny taste of sweet corn right off the cob! Pureed then strained, this soup is a clean corn extract that explodes with flavor. Incidentally, corn isn't just a summer treat, it's exceptionally high in fiber, contains protein (who knew?! over 5g in 1/2 cup!), and is a significant source of vitamins and minerals (especially B6, thiamin and magnesium). It is very high in carbohydrates (as a percentage of total calories), but the serving size of this soup is a small cup, so don't sweat it!

Quesadilla with no queso? Yup, I said it! What's wrong with us? We worship dairy cows here at the BMK, and despite cheese not returning that affection, we love the stuff passionately. This queso-less-dilla satisfies that gooey-stuff-between-two-tortillas-sensation that we're pretty sure everyone enjoys. Sweet potato, roasted then mashed, fills in for melted cheese while a spicy black bean salsa adds texture, protein, and dietary fiber. Quickly crisped in a pan, then sliced and served alongside the soup, this dish is a dipper's delight!

Vegan? Omit the crumbles of goat cheese!

Recipe from The Chubby Vegetarian Serves 4


INGREDIENTS:

Corn Soup

• 8 ears of corn (broken in half)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 chipotle pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• chili salt (equal parts chili powder and cracked salt)
• cilantro leaves, diced
• 4 Tbsp Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 1, lime in 4 wedges

Black Bean Sweet Potatoe Quesadillas

• 4 large or 8 small whole wheat tortillas
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 large handful black beans (soaked overnight and cooked till tender) or 1 can low salt black beans
• 1 handful cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 3Tbsp of jarred or fresh jalapenos, diced
• spray olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice sweet potato into 1.5" thick rounds. Spray with cooking spray. Place on baking sheet and bake in oven at 375' until fork tender (about 45 minutes). Remove flesh and mash. Set aside.
2. Combine quesadilla ingredients from black beans through jalapenos. Toss gently and set aside.
3. Begin soup by bringing a large pot of water to boil.
4. Add corn ears and boil until tender 5 minutes. Remove from boiling water and run under cold water.
5. Slice kernels off cob by holding cob vertically and slicing downwards.
6. In pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until golden about 6-8 minutes.
7. Add all but 1/4 of the corn, chipotle pepper, and broth. Bring to a simmer.
8. Puree in blender or with immersion blender until as smooth as possible - 5-7 minutes.
9. Strain soup through sieve. Discard solids.
10. Add soup back to pot and add remaining corn.
11. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with chili salt, cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lime and some goat cheese.